US00591.

0454A

United States Patent [19]

[11] Patent Number:

5,910,454

Sprules

[45] Date of Patent:

Jun. 8, 1999

[54] COFFEE-BASED SOLID FUEL

COMPOSITION

OTHER PUBLICATIONS
The Combustion of Solid Fuels and Wastes, David A.

[76] Inventor: Rodney K. Sprules, 88 Greynam

Court, Nepean, Ontario, Canada, K2G
5T3

Tillman, Academic Press, Inc., San Diego, CA, 1991, pp.

163.
Primary ExaminerJerry D. Johnson
Attorney, Agent, or FirmNeil Teitelbaum & Associates
[57]
ABSTRACT
The present invention relates to a solid burnable fuel com

[21] Appl. No.: 09/086,797

[22] Filed:

May 29, 1998

[51] Int. Cl." .................................. C10L 5/40, C10L 5/48

position which contains a major proportion of spent dried

[52] U.S.
e Cl. .................................. 453s. 4576 t

thetic fire-logs and fire kindling products.

...".
Omogeneous

[58] Field of Search ............................... 44/535, 576, 589

[56]
References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

mixture of at least 50% coffee, with 30% or less by weight

of a combustible binder is compressed and extruded in the
form of fire-logs. A pellet fuel comprising entirely coffee
provides a higher energy fuel source than prior art fuel

4,043,765 8/1977 Tanner ........................................44/589

and

sources.
has a higher
calorificrequiring
value thanlesshardwood,
providingCoffee
an efficient
fuel material
combus

4,272,322 6/1981 Kobayashi ...

4,326,854 4/1982 Tanner .................

4,548,615 10/1985 Lonchamp et al. ..

4,769,044
4,863,488

9/1988 Cornwell ..............

9/1989 Maeda et al. .

... 44?io B

tible binder, such as wax, than prior art fire-logs, and

----- 44/605

offering a higher energy value pellet than wood without

... 44/605
... 44/589

5,393,310 2/1995 Wollen ...................................... 44/535

added binder.

11 Claims, No Drawings

5,910,454
1

2
comparable to a well-maintained natural wood fire. It is
desired to provide a solid fuel which incorporates less wax,
yet still retains high energy burn characteristics.
In order to improve ignition time, without affecting the
combustion properties of the entire log, an ignition strip is

COFFEE-BASED SOLID FUEL

COMPOSITION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a solid burnable fuel

composition, which contains a major proportion of used
coffee grounds, particularly in the form of high-density
pellets, synthetic fire-logs, and fire kindling products.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,765 issued to Tanner in

10

Manufactured fuel logs and pellets for fireplaces and

stoves are well known as an alternative heat source and for

aesthetic enjoyment. Such fuels are selected for

convenience, efficiency and cost advantages. The higher
burn rate, longer burn time, and higher energy density make
processed solid fuel a more convenient alternative over

15

natural wood. Furthermore, wood has more valuable uses,

and is accordingly more costly. The desire to reduce wood

consumption to a sustainable rate, and to reduce the signifi
cant deforestation currently occurring, adds additional moti
vation to find an alternative fuel source. Finally, decreasing
landfill capacities have generated searches for alternative
uses of waste byproducts.
In a study by David A. Tillman, The Combustion of Solid
Fuels and Wastes published in 1991, the combustion of solid

20

25

fuels and wastes (including coffee waste) is suggested as

potentially economical in raising process energy, generating

electricity, and reducing the volume of municipal waste in
landfills. The combustion of solid fuel particlessuch as
biomass, fossil fuels and municipal refusein an industrial
furnace, boiler or kiln at high rates is investigated. The many
advantages of coffee as a fuel source are not apparent in
these teachings. Furthermore, no proposal is made for the
production of processed solid fuels or domestically com
bustible fuels.

Prior art manufactured logs and pellets for domestic use

have not been entirely satisfactory either in burn character
istics or in costs. A discussion of prior art illuminates the
advantages offered by the present invention. The main
advantages of processed fire-logs generally include long
burn time, easy lighting characteristics, and convenience of
use for preparation or maintenance of the fire. As a replace
ment for natural wood fires, processed logs offer the con
venience of not having to stoke the fire to ensure a consistent
flame. One log typically bums between 3 to 4 hours,
depending on the size of log.
However, these advantages are not unqualified. In order to
achieve both a substantial flame and a quick ignition time,
a significant amount of wax is used. The high combustion
rate, in combination with limited air supply, typically results
in incomplete combustion, which in turn leads to a buildup
of soot and creosote in the flue. This incomplete combustion
is further intensified by the low infiltration rates common in
new home construction. Repeated use of such prior art fuel
logs, represents a fire hazard. Indeed, due to the seriousness
of this problem, insurance companies recommend that con
sumers alternate between the use of artificial fire-logs and
natural wood fires, in addition to frequent cleaning of
combustion apparatus.
Not only does the excessive use of wax represent a safety
hazard due to the build-up of soot, but it means that the
consumer is provided with an aesthetically less pleasing
product than natural wood fires. While the substantial use of
wax promotes faster ignition, the flame height for the later
stages of combustion is significantly lower than in the
beginning. Hence, it is difficult for the user to enjoy a flame

30

35

1977. Given the high combustion rates associated with a

high wax content, this would be a preferable approach to
improving ignition time. However, a high proportion of wax
throughout the product is still required to maintain a high
burn rate following ignition.
A synthetic log is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,310
issued to Wollen in 1995, which incorporates a large pro
portion of waste products, namely grass clippings and
leaves. It is an object of this prior invention to use the
composition to reduce yard waste in the waste stream while
providing a burnable fuel. Leaves and grass clippings,
however, do not provide a satisfactory fuel source, and even
with the addition of significant amounts of paraffin wax,
such logs have a low calorific value. It is suggested that the
grass clippings be incorporated directly from the lawn
without further processing. This also means that a higher
moisture content will be present to hinder burning.
In response to pressures on the supply of petroleum
waxes, and hence the increasing cost, U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,
854 issued in 1982 to Tanner discloses the use of a liquid
combustible by-product with cellulosic and ligno-cellulosic
materials in a synthetic fire log. In this disclosure a skeleton
of solid burnable material such as sawdust or other material

such as peanut shell fines, cocoa bean shell fines, coconut

shell or walnut shell fines, bagasse or paper pulp, is incor
porated at between 25% and 70% by weight with a binder
comprising a liquid combustible byproduct, which is solidi
fied by either polymerization or neutralization with the
addition of various chemicals. The preferred liquid binder is
molasses. As one of many examples, Tanner tested a com

position containing 60 parts (by weight) vegetable pitch, 6

40

parts oleic acid, 3 parts caustic soda, and 37 parts coffee

grounds. As the major portion of the composition is liquid
combustible byproduct, advantages from burning coffee of
cleaner burn and higher energy yield are not observable from
Tanners results.
Pellet fuels contain fewer additives than manufactured

45

50

55

logs, commonly being formed of wood and other ligno

cellulosic material, such as bark compressed under high
pressure. Pellet fuel is attractive for burning in stoves for
heating purposes, since a large quantity can be charged in a
hopper for continuous release as needed. The uniform size of
the pellets and the controlled feed rate results in more
efficient combustion than larger solid fuels. Because a pellet
stove may be self-feeding, and hence burning for many
hours continuously, a clean burning fuel which produces less
ash is desired. However, as a heat source, a fuel with a higher
energy density is also desired.
Pellets are burned over a grate through which remaining
ash is removed. It is important that the pellets retain their
shape during handling and combustion without crumbling,
which would add fines to the feed stream. Fines of unburned

60

65

fuel can drop through the grate where they may be ignited
by hot ash. This is not only a waste of fuel, but also a safety
problem. Wood-based biomass and sawdust is very irregular
in size, due to the process in which it is created. Therefore,
it must be ground to the correct consistency prior to being
pelletized, adding a significant amount of processing costs.
Coffee, in the form of spent grounds, is a very attractive
fuel source for manufactured logs and pellets. Coffee con

5,910,454
3
tains approximately 25% higher energy potential than dry
hardwood. Used coffee also has a highly uniform particle
size. Currently no further use is available for spent coffee.
Thus the use of coffee as a fuel source is energy efficient,
inexpensive and diverts waste from landfill. By utilizing the
desirable characteristics inherent to coffee grounds, a pre
mium solid fuel can be produced according to the present
invention without large quantities of added wax. This fuel
offers efficiency, cost, environmental, safety and aesthetic
advantages over existing processed solid fuels.

10

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a

processed solid fuel source comprising primarily of spent
coffee grounds. Coffee grounds, either prior to or after
brewing, are a substantial source of renewable energy.
Post-brewed coffee grounds have a superior higher heating

15

This invention also offers various environmental advan

tages. Due to the absence of lignin, and the high volatile to

value (HHV) than that of dry hardwood. This energy source

is not only considered waste, but is occupying valuable

landfill space.
Accordingly, the present invention comprises a processed
solid burnable fuel composition comprising at least 50%
spent coffee grounds.
A further preferred embodiment of the present invention
comprises a processed solid burnable fuel composition com
prising at least 70% dried spent coffee grounds.
In a still further preferred embodiment the present inven
tion provides a processed burnable fuel log comprising an
extruded homogeneous mixture including: 75% coffee
grounds having a particle size less than 2 mm and a moisture
content of less than 20%; and up to 25% of a solid com
bustible binder, whereby the log has a density of between

4
Irregularities in particle sizes in formed solid fuels may
lead to cracking during combustion causing an undesirably
vigorous and potentially hazardous burn rate. Used coffee
has a highly uniform PSD, in contrast to wood products that
contain highly irregular particle sizes. The result is a more
homogeneous structure, and thus good shape retention and
resistance to cracking during handling and combustion.
Other advantages arising from the uniform PSD of coffee
grounds are noticed during raw material processing and
when forming the final fuel mixture. Coffee grounds do not
require any processing to decrease the PSD to acceptable
limits. Sawdust mixtures tend to expand immediately fol
lowing forming, and thus require cooling for shape reten
tion. This is due to the spongy type texture inherent to
sawdust. With coffee as the primary particulate, good shape
retention results even at elevated temperatures.
fixed carbon ratio coffee is less aromatic than wood.

20

Consequently, there is less chance of producing polycyclic

aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) upon oxidation.

25

Additionally, wood products have many valuable alterna

tive uses other than as a fuel such as producing paper,
building materials, glue, value-added fuels like methanol,
and other products which benefit from the structural char
acteristics of wood fibers. In contrast, the major portion of
used coffee is currently a waste product that fills costly
landfill space.

30

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
EMBODIMENTS

In one embodiment of the invention, the solid burnable

fuel comprising at least 50% spent coffee grounds having a

800 and 850 kg/m3.

moisture content of less than 20%, and less than 30% of a

As indicated in Table 1, coffee has an energy content in

excess of 10,000 BTU/lb. Existing logs are currently pro
duced from a combination of solid particulate and a com
bustible binder compressed together with pressure and heat.
The most common solids used are wood and bark shavings
that have HHVs ranging from 8000 to 9500 BTU/lb. The
implication is that when coffee grounds are used as the main
constituent, less combustible binder is required to achieve
the equivalent calorific value of prior art.

35

TABLE 1.

45

40

combustible binder. The procedure for production of a solid

fuel involves the initial drying of the spent coffee grounds to
an optimal moisture content. Any required binders/additives
are then mixed with the particulate, and the resultant mixture
is formed into the desired shape under pressure. This solid
fuel mixture is compressed to a density of between 650 and

1250 kg/m. Characteristics such as oxidation rate and flame

duration can be controlled via surface area and density

variations, and through addition of less volatile solid sub
StanceS.

Characteristics of Spent (Post-Brewed) Coffee Grounds

Analytical Data/Test Method

Units As Analyzed Dry (a) 105 C.

Heat of Combustion, ISO-1928

BTU/lb

10 005

Moisture, ASTM D-3173

Wt 96

2.09

10 218
-

Ash, ASTM D-3174

Wt 96

0.82

0.84

In addition to having a higher calorific value, coffee

grounds have a higher volatile/fixed carbon ratio than that of
wood-based particulate. Essentially, the result is more
flame per BTU. This is an excellent characteristic with
respect to synthetic fire-log applications. Not only is the
product smaller with equivalent calorific values, but also the
flame duration is longer.
Several production efficiencies are also attainable from
this invention. Since coffee can be obtained in a relatively
homogenous mixture from food processing establishments,
it is less likely to contain impurities such as one would find

in sawdust (e.g. dirt from bark, furniture finishing processes,

sawmills). The bulk handling characteristics are further
simplified due to the narrow particle size distribution (PSD).

50

55

Many different binders may be employed with criteria as

simple as combustibility. Petroleum and sugar-based binders
have been used in processed solid fuels since the turn of the
century, because of their desirable characteristics such as
high calorific value. In order to reap the environmental
benefits of burning coffee grounds, an environmentally
sound binder should be used. Wax-type binders are the most
desirable, as they have high energy content, are solid at room
temperature, and have less complex products of combustion
than most combustible byproducts.
In a further embodiment of the invention, a burnable fuel

log comprises a homogeneous mixture including: between

50 and 85% coffee grounds having a particle size of less than

2 mm, a moisture content of less than 20%, and less than

30% wax as a binder. The extruded log has a density of

60

between 800 and 950 kg/m3. The density and surface area

are varied to control oxidation rate, and to prevent cracking

upon combustion. When the density limits are reached, other
solid byproducts that are less volatile are then added for
further combustion control. Any cellulosic material with a
65

lower volatile to fixed carbon ration can be used (ie.

Sawdust), although benefits of coffee will not be realized if
greater than 25% of additives are used.